环球英语 — 660：Celebrating Birthdays
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Thank you for listening to Spotlight, I'm Christy VanArragon.
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And I'm David Bast. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday, happy birthday!
Happy birthday to you!
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You have probably heard this song before. Many people around the world sing some version of this song at their birthday celebrations. Today's Spotlight is on birthdays!
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Birthday celebrations began shortly after ancient people developed the calendar. Until that time, people did not have a way to measure years, months and days. The first evidence of birthday celebrations is from ancient pagan cultures. These cultures believed that evil spirits were more dangerous on a person's birthday. So they celebrated birthdays with family and friends. They hoped that filling the day with laughter and joy would protect the person from evil spirits. Most people brought happy thoughts and wishes for the year. But some people also brought gifts. Gifts were considered a very good influence for the birthday person.
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Birthday celebrations slowly became more popular in the modern world. There is evidence of kings and other important people celebrating birthdays. But historians believe that it was many years before common people celebrated birthdays too. Eventually, birthday celebrations became a tradition around the world. Not everyone celebrates the same way. But here are some popular traditions and how they began.
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In many cultures, people eat cake on their birthday. This sweet treat is baked like bread. Some people believe that the Greeks started this tradition. Other people believe it was the Germans. But both cultures put candles on the cakes. The Greeks believed that these small fires made the cake shine like the moon. The Germans put a candle in the middle of the cake to represent the light of life.
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Ancient people believed that the candles were like prayers to the gods. When a person blew the candles out, he made a wish. Then the smoke from the candles went up to the gods to send them his wish.
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You may still blow out candles and make a wish today. Have you ever had your wish come true?
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Remember the birthday song that we sung at the beginning of this program? Well, that song is over one hundred years old. It has been translated in many different languages. And it is one of the most popular songs in the English language.
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So, how do you celebrate birthdays in your culture? Let's hear some of the traditional ways that people have celebrated birthdays around the world.
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In Germany, someone in the family lights candles early in the morning. They burn all day in honor of the birthday person. There are as many candles on the cake as the age of the birthday person, plus one for good luck. In the evening, the birthday person blows out all the candles. If she blows them all out at once, her wish will come true.
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In Nepal, the birthday person gets a mark on his forehead. The mark is made with a mix of rice and yogurt. It stays on the birthday person's head all day for good luck.
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In Vietnam, every person's birthday is on the same day! They celebrate birthdays on the first day of every New Year. In the morning of the New Year, parents give birthday children special red paper envelopes. These envelopes contain lucky money.
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In Japan, children's third, fifth and seventh birthdays are thought to be very lucky. Children who are three, five, or seven are invited to a special festival on November 15. At the festival, families visit a special place of worship. They give thanks for good health. They ask for more years of blessing for their child. Then, a family will have a celebration. Girls and boys will wear their best clothes. And the child will receive many gifts.
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In Israel, a child sits in a special chair on his birthday. Family and friends decorate the chair with fresh flowers and greens. Then, everyone gathers around the chair. They lift the birthday person into the air together as many times as her age. And, of course, one more for good luck!
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In Mexico, birthday celebrations often include a pinata. A pinata is a paper figure shaped like an animal or flower or other object. Parents hang it from the ceiling. And they fill it with sweet candy treats. The only way to get the candy out is to hit the pinata with a stick. So, children will gather around and take turns hitting the pinata. But, they are not able to see! The adults cover their eyes with a cloth. This makes the game more challenging. It is very special when the pinata is finally broken. The child who breaks it will have good luck. When it is broken, candy falls all over the ground. Then the children run to pick it up.
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In Canada, a family will catch the birthday person, and spread butter on her nose. This fat makes the nose very slippery. People believe that this means that bad luck will not be able to catch them. In other parts of Canada, the birthday person will get hit! The birthday person receives one light hit for each year they have been alive. And one for good luck!
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There is a similiar tradition in Argentina. There, the birthday person receives a pull on the ear for each year. And in Ireland, a father may turn a birthday child upside down, and gently hit the child's head on the floor - one light hit for each year, and one for good luck!
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You may have special birthday traditions in your own family. In my family, the birthday person can choose the food for their birthday dinner. We eat a cake that my father has designed. There are usually presents for the birthday person. And we all sing the birthday song!
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Some of these birthday celebrations may be similar to the celebrations in your culture. Or you may not celebrate birthdays at all. Every culture is different.
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If you do celebrate birthdays, maybe your birthday is today! If that is true, we would just like to wish you a very special...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
